Author: LOLA SAYONG

ABSTRACT

In the first two months of the pandemic, there were zero sales for Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp. The lockdown in Legazpi had cut off the steady stream of visitors and the uncertainty caused by this new virus left little headspace for planning. With no end in sight to the pandemic, Noli Mercader and the members of the Gubatnon For Adventourism Inc. (GAI) came up with a solution to help the enterprise stay afloat. By using digital tools and tapping their network of customers, they were able to set up a virtual farm that allowed investors to “grow a farm digitally.” In line with GAI’s advocacy and mission, Noli marketed the program online as organic and environmentally friendly farming towards sustainable and intentional living. In the long run, Lola Sayong SurfFarm was envisioned to be a sustainable farm-to-table model that will earn steady income for its members while providing quality food products for customers.

2019 had been a good year for the Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp. They had averaged about 2,000 guests each month, reached revenues of over Php 6 million at year’s end, and were even set to open a branch of their restaurant, Granny’s Grub, at Legazpi City in 2020. Led by vice-president Noli Mercader, the youth organization called the Gubatnon For Adventourism Inc. (GAI) had been coasting through the waves of the booming tourism in the Philippines. As a social enterprise, it was GAI’s vision to build Lola Sayong Eco-Surf as “a center for eco-tourism in the province of Sorsogon and a catalyst for the preservation and protection of its natural environments and local biodiversity.” The increasing tourists and supporters of the eco-surf camp made them optimistic that they would reach their goals.

But the swells caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic broke into the country’s shores and wiped out all tourism activities. Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp was no exception. A lockdown was imposed in Legazpi, which inhibited the movement of both local and foreign tourists alike. Visitors to Lola Sayong stopped altogether, and Noli was forced to close the new restaurant branch.

It was a tough situation to be in, but Noli knew that he couldn’t afford to do nothing – the surfers and employees who had depended on the camp for their income needed to get by somehow. With the flow of tourists being cut off and no end to the pandemic in sight, the leaders of the cooperative rapidly formed a new strategy that would help their enterprise – and more importantly, their people – stay afloat

This led GAI to go online and make use of the digital tools at their disposal to remain connected to their customers, while keeping their promise to the eponymous owner of the land upon which the camp was built.

 A Promise to Lola Sayong

Taking a look at what they had, Noli focused on the abundant natural resources that surrounded them. On the map, the camp was located in the town of Gubat, a 30-minute drive away from Sorsogon City and two hours from the nearest airport in Legazpi City. It rested on the 2.5-hectare property owned by the 95-year-old Lola Sayong, who allowed use of the land to promote eco-tourism in Sorsogon.

Lola Sayong’s land had once been a coconut farm and damuhan blessed with a front-row view of the Pacific Ocean. Because of this, kids from the town flocked to the coast to surf the waves. The area began to attract tourists who wanted to be surrounded by nature. This led some members of the youth to engage in entrepreneurial activities, offering skimboarding and surfing services to visitors of Rizal Beach. This group of friends became the Gubatnon For Adventourism Inc. (GAI).

With tourists slowly trickling in, the members of GAI saw the opportunity to grow their fledgling enterprise. They received surfboards from friends, and later on, from local government offices. Back in 2006, they were content with providing their services in the public area that gave them access to the beach, but some of them soon wanted a place of their own.

The young surfers approached Lola Sayong in 2013 to ask about her property. She was interested, but the matron wanted more details about the proposition. She was also concerned about the coconut trees that dotted her land, wondering if she could entrust their care to the group. A year later, GAI came back with a business plan that wasn’t just focused on profit but was also mindful of the environmental and social issues that concerned their community. This sealed the deal for Lola Sayong and she willingly donated the land for the surf camp.

The eco-tourism social enterprise would provide sustainable livelihood to the youth in Gubat in a way that wouldn’t impede their education and career. They had a “no school, no surf” rule so as to keep their attendance in check.

At the same time, the GAI wove eco-friendly principles and practices into their DNA, creating an atmosphere that was respectful to nature and the locals. Unlike other beach destinations, there was no partying, no smoking, or no drinking in the camp – only good, clean fun. On top of that, the group strove to work with local authorities to make tourism in Gubat more environmentally conscious.

To Lola Sayong and her family, a 50% share in the income of the kubos was allotted. But the security and serenity ensured by the eco-SE provided an additional benefit and a source of joy for the property owner.

Intentional Living in Gubat

Staying in Lola Sayong’s Eco-Surf Camp was like being in a retreat, a cleanse from all the things that made city life exhausting. One stayed in a kubo near the ocean with numerous coconut trees looming overhead, slender and huddled close to each other. The people were friendly and laid-back; delicious food was cooked from a hut and the waters beckoned as you ate your meal on a wooden table facing the beach.

At the start, there were tourists who found it off-putting to be denied their drinking and partying. But the GAI members were adamant about keeping the rules. Noli took this as an opportunity to strengthen their branding as a responsible eco-tourism destination, wishing to attract the right kind of market – those who would be respectful and mindful of their surroundings.

And it worked. Visitors from various parts of the country and even different countries came to the camp to relax and surf. There was also kayaking, snorkeling, and stand-up paddle boarding. Staff and employees were courteous, approachable, and professional in their work, always attentive to the needs of visitors. The food from Grandma’s Grub was highly regarded, made from fresh ingredients and produce sourced from the local market. In fact, meal orders made up about 50% of the total revenues earned by Lola Sayong’s. Seeing as there was an opportunity to reach a wider market, GAI decided to open a branch of Granny’s Grub in Legazpi city.

From over Php 3.3 million in revenues in 2017, the camp was able to double sales in 2019. It was providing income to ten full-time employees, part-time staff, and about twenty youth instructors who held surf lessons for tourists. With the projected growth in Philippine tourism at the time, it wasn’t hard to imagine how Lola Sayong would reach new heights in 2020.

But all that was put on hold. As with other tourist sites, Gubat experienced a standstill when the COVID pandemic broke out and slowly spread across the globe.

 Granny’s Grub

In the first two months of the pandemic, there were zero sales for Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp. The lockdown in Legazpi had cut off the steady stream of visitors and the uncertainty caused by this new virus left little headspace for planning. GAI decided to hold off on launching Granny’s Grub in the city and looked at what they could do in Sorsogon for the meantime.

“We closed down operations at first and thought that maybe we would open again after a month or so,” Noli said. “But then reality set in.”

With no end in sight to the pandemic, Noli and his fellow GAI members racked their brains for a solution. The answer once again lay in nature. They looked around and saw the abundant resources that they had helped nurture in the process of running Lola Sayong. They also found that they could continue running a significant part of their business – the restaurant.

While tourism was halted and people were forced to stay home, businesses offering essential products and services such as food and groceries were on high demand. GAI realized that if guests couldn’t come to the camp to eat, they could bring Granny’s Grub meals to them. Not only would they be serving local demand, they would be keeping a part of the business running and provide income to some of their employees.

The food delivery service, called Wheeled Meals, was a weekly subscription of packed lunches at an affordable price. At only Php 350 per week, customers got delicious meals delivered to them over the course of five days. They targeted the employed locals, those who were still going to the office daily and had no time to prep their own food. Wheeled Meals was promoted through social media with appetizing shots of the food – deviled fish, pork adobo, kawali fried pork, sea-sig – and enticed 70 to 80 subscribers per week.

And that was just the beginning. Reviewing their supply chain, Noli saw that they could grow their own supply of fresh ingredients. They had the land, the know-how, and the people to do it. But apart from doing the whole farm-to-table model for Lola Sayong, they still wanted a way to connect with past visitors. “We didn’t want to give up on tourism,” said Noli.

It was also a matter of necessity. The restaurant was one step into getting the business up and running again, but the revenues were not enough to sustain them in the long run. They also didn’t want to lose their identity as an eco-surf camp. How could they keep Lola Sayong sustainable in a time of social distancing and home quarantines?

The answer lay in virtual farming.

From Surf Camp to SurFarm

To farm, one needs strong, capable hands to till the soil, harvest the produce, and take care of the livestock. To maintain the farm, one needs steady capital to weather through the constant cycles of feeds and fertilizers, as well as occasional typhoons.

Under the Virtual Farm program initiated by GAI, people can “grow a garden digitally” at the Lola Sayong Eco-Surf Camp. The investor will put in the capital needed to maintain the farm and the surfer-farmer will use the capital to grow the produce and sell it, earning the investor some profit in the process. According to Noli, it was a productive way to make use of the abundant land that was available to them and at the same time, stay connected to the guests who had stayed with them.

Investors can put in increments of Php 10,000 and partake in a variety of farm activities from greenhouse gardening to raising livestock such as goats, pigs, and poultry. Greenhouse investments take one year to mature while livestock generally take nine months.

Upon maturity, investors will get back 12% guaranteed interest plus either a portion of the original investment or the whole amount, depending on whether they avail of the 15-day free stay at Lola Sayong as an add-on or just the three-day deal. The travel vouchers have no expiry and can be transferred or sold to anyone at regular price.

The Virtual Farm was promoted on Facebook and via mobile. Payments were primarily made via GCash. Noli and his team had maintained connections with plenty of their guests, even those living as far away as France and the Netherlands. The spirit of camaraderie and kindness that pervaded the camp came alive in the form of “angel investors” who cashed in not just to help but also at the promise to return and enjoy Gubat’s waves once more. In line with GAI’s advocacy and mission, Noli had been marketing the program as organic and environmentally friendly farming towards sustainable and intentional living.

 Transitioning from Water to Land

The surfer-farmers became the primary guests of the camp. Around the land were designated areas for farming. From the 70 members of GAI, 25 were engaged in the virtual farming program. Noli said that while they wanted to employ everyone, they had to choose who was both capable and willing to see the whole farming season through.

Farming took technical skill and know-how, as well as a lot of patience. The returns from a sale of let’s say, 40 chickens or a pig, would only be seen after months of care and nurturing. To keep operations running, 40% of sales went to the savings of the organization. Noli mentioned that relative to what the surfers were earning before, farming provided lower and less frequent salaries. However, with no tourists and no vaccine yet in circulation, they were working hard to make the eco-surf farm more sustainable and find other viable revenue channels for their processed and preserved goods.

This was GAI’s goal for 2021: to create a sustainable farm-to-table model that will earn steady income for its members while providing quality food products for customers. The Virtual Farming was a means to get to that end. As of December, they had fifteen angel investors with the last remaining slots slowly filling up. Their capacity was dictated by the space available at the camp, but Noli said that they were looking at distributing the work to the other surfer-farmers who could do it from their own home.

Navigating the Threats and Risks

One strong storm can wipe away all the hard work rendered over months of toil. Typhoons come and go in the Philippines, which created challenges for many local farmers. In November 2020, super typhoon Rolly hit the Bicol region, battering the coasts and leaving destruction in its wake. It was a close call for Gubat, but thankfully the area was spared.  Access to electricity and internet was limited after, affecting their communications with customers.

Apart from natural threats, Noli said that they also had to make sure to choose farmers who would see the work through. They had to be careful since not everyone was both capable and willing to take care of a farm. To minimize any risk, those who were on board had to sign an agreement that outlined their responsibilities to GAI.

 Looking Forward

Despite the many challenges that 2020 brought, Noli remained optimistic and hopeful for the surf farm. As of December, they had begun building a greenhouse to grow microgreens and other vegetables. They wanted to include more surfer-farmers in the program and create a steady supply for their kitchen and processed food. They also tapped different retail channels for their bottled food.

In the time of social distancing, technology served to connect the surfers to its ocean-loving customers. Noli had built a website for the food delivery service, but decided to keep it on Facebook since it was the preferred channel by most of their followers. Later on, however, he hopes to migrate to a website when they have a bigger base. He had also started learning how to use apps to streamline the order process. It was still in the beta phase but they were aiming to launch it in 2020.

While travel between provinces was already possible, Noli predicted that things wouldn’t go back to normal until 2022. Even with a vaccine, it would take time until people could become comfortable traveling again. Until then, Lola Sayong and its surfer-farmers would have to wait. But they know that they will survive given the bountiful resources that surrounded them and the people who continued to support them in their mission. And under their capable and nurturing hands, the land will flourish and provide, as it always does.

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